1920s Black All-American Football Teams

The Pittsburgh Courier selected Black All-American football teams dating back to the 1920s. Writers from the newspaper’s staff collaborated with coaches to create the teams. Michael Hurd steadfastly dug through archives to compile lists of Pittsburgh Courier All-American teams. These lists are posted on our website. In the 1920s, most players played both offense and defense. Therefore, the All-American teams contained only 11 players during this decade. In many cases, only the last name was listed.

(Teams listed by: Position, Player, School)

1925 Pittsburgh Courier All-American Team

E – Duncan, Tuskegee
E – Gaithers, W. Virginia State
T – Lee, Hampton
T – Kinman, Wiley
G – Calloway, Lincoln
G – Alexander, Hampton
C – Tadlock, Tuskegee
QB – Turner, W. Virginia State
HB – Ben Stevenson, Tuskegee
HB – Smith, Howard
FB – Wu Fang Ward, Wilberforce

1926 All-American Football Team

E – Redden, Wilberforce
E – Gaithers, W. Virginia State
T – Lamar, Atlanta
T – V. Smith, Howard
G – Grasty, Lincoln (Pa.)
G – Lee, Hampton
C – Kilpatrick, Talladega
QB – Cole, Howard
HB – Stevenson, Tuskegee
HB – Smith, Howard
FB – Coleman, North Carolina A&T

1927 All-American Football Team

E – Tyson, Howard
E – Williams, Langston
T – Lee, Hampton
T – Gallion
G – Miller, North Carolina A&T
G – Redd, Wiley
C – Tadlock, Tuskegee
QB – Cain, Bluefield
HB – Stevenson, Tuskegee
HB – Coleman, North Carolina A&T
FB – Graves, Bluefield

1928 All-American Football Team

E – Jeffries, Bluefield
E – Mendenhall, Wilberforce
T – Stevens, West Virginia
T – Gallion, Bluefield
G – Cogar, Alabama State
G – Slaughter, Atlanta University
C – Patterson, North Carolina A&T
QB – Baker, Clark
HB – Marshall, Howard
HB – Stevenson, Tuskegee
FB – Cavill, Wiley
Utility back – Marks, Prairie View
Utility line – Redd, Wiley
Utility end – Henderson, Virginia Seminary

1929 All-American Football Team

E – Fowler, Wilberforce
E – Powell, Virginia State
T – Lamar, Virginia Union
T – Britton, Tuskegee
G – Slaughter, Fisk
G – R. Scott, W. Virginia State
C – Thompson, Bluefield
QB – Whedbee, Fisk
HB – Tynes, Wilberforce
HB – Ben Stevenson, Tuskegee
HB – Calvin, Wiley